The growing personal wealth of Americans meant that Sixties children would experience a very different world from that of their parents. No longer burdened with hard labor and world war, a new and lavish importance was given to childhood. Over 70 million baby boomers became teenagers in the 1960s. Indulged, adolescent yearnings were fueled by Barbie dolls, hot rods, the rise of teen movies and the wonders of television. Suave sophistication appealed to clean-cut boys with crew cuts and teen girls wearing shapely sweaters and elaborate bouffant or beehive styles.

Rockin' and Rollin'

A prime outlet for teenage angst was the booming music industry. White male crooners like Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, and Bobby Vinton spun romantic fantasies on records and in film. But the rise of Motown introduced pop music flavored with "Negro" rhythm and blues, integrating black and white styles into a segregated America . New groups such as The Marvelettes and The Temptations topped the charts.